The operation was conducted to remove the remnants of the group from the region.

Kermanj Abdullah, the head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) branch in Mukhmour in the west of Erbil province and a part of Ninawa province, stated that the joint operation launched by the Kurdistan Regional Peshmerga forces and the international anti-IS coalition in Mokhmour to clear IS elements.

The Peshmerga forces also carries out ground and intelligence and surveillance operations, he added, noting that the coalition is also supporting the Kurdish forces from the air and the coalition warplanes have identified IS hideouts identified by the Peshmerga forces and target them.

The official further added that several IS hideouts were hit and 18 members have been killed and more operations will be conducted in the future.

Abdullah also stressed that these operations could be effective in reducing IS's terrorist movements in the region, but “they could not eradicate it because IS's movements are too wide and they are manipulating citizens and paying them ransom.”

The eradication of IS first requires political solutions and then military action, and it is necessary to first reach an agreement between Baghdad and Erbil to eliminate the security vacuum made due to the lack of cooperation between the regional Peshmerga forces and the Iraqi forces, and to eradicate IS's remnants in the region in cooperation between the two sides.

Reporter’s code: 50101